John Paul Ostamas, 39, grew up on Fort Hope First Nation, a small community in Northwestern Ontario.

He says he came from a good family, his parents were married and he had four siblings.

"Our father was supporting us, even our mother is taking care of us making sure we all went to school,” said Ostamas.

Ostamas says his life changed when he was nine-years-old, “when I was a child I was brutally beaten up by three police officers and that left a scar on my left side of my face."

Ostamas says those scars are also emotional, “that's the only part of my childhood I remember, after that I don't remember anything else, like I just grew up quick(ly)."

Ostamas says that's when he got involved in gangs.

At age 14, Ostamas says he left Fort Hope, and began travelling across North America selling drugs, running from police, and people who he says wanted to hurt him.

"In my life I was too paranoid to stay in one place because of what happened to me," said Ostamas.

Ostamas is now at Winnipeg’s Remand Centre, he says he spent most of his time living on the streets.

He's the accused in three different deaths.

Ostamas faces two counts of first degree murder for the April 25, 2015 deaths of Stony Bushie and Donald Collins.

They were killed hours apart, their bodies found just one block apart.

Ostamas also faces one count of second degree murder for the April 10, 2015 death of Myles Monias, a man found beaten in a Main Street bus shelter.

Ostamas says he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and an anxiety disorder.

He says he used medication to calm down. Ostamas also admitted to using recreational drugs.

He says he tried to get help from Winnipeg's Canadian Mental Health Association, but couldn't because he didn't have sufficient paperwork.

"I told them I needed help, I needed to be secluded, like away from thing, I wanted to be in the hospital because I wasn't thinking right," said Ostamas.

The Canadian Mental Health Association said it has an urgent coverage policy that kicks in when anyone walks in or calls its office requiring support.

The agency said in a release that it always has someone available to assist anyone in distress.

The CMHA said no paperwork is required for people to get their help.

As for the reason he's in the remand centre right now, Ostamas wouldn't speak about the charges he's facing.

His lawyer says the investigation is far from over.